The Whipple procedure is associated with increased readmission rates for infection, pancreatic leak, and failure to thrive/malnutrition. The purpose of this study is to develop an evidence based perioperative nutrition plan to improve patient outcomes. The study has two specific aims including evaluation of feasibility of implementing an evidence based perioperative nutritional plan for patients undergoing Whipple and evaluation of impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on primary outcome of readmission rate and secondary outcomes of readmission cause, length of stay for initial hospitalization and/or readmission, post surgical complications (surgical site infections, pancreatic leak, sepsis, delayed gastric emptying), and nutritional status (PG-Subject Generated Assessment scores, BMI, albumin, pre-albumin, and method of oral intake). Categorical variables including readmission rate, readmission cause, post-surgical complications and nutritional status will be compared by chi-square test between intervention and control group. Length of stay for initial hospitalization and readmission will be compared by non parametric Wilcoxon test between two groups. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe the sample. There are no risks to the study participants.

Evaluate the impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on primary outcome of readmission rate.

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Readmission cause [ Time Frame: Up to week 6 ]

Evaluate the impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on readmission cause.

Length of stay for initial hospitalization and/or readmission [ Time Frame: Up to week 6 ]

Evaluate the impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on length of stay for initial hospitalization and/or readmission.

Post surgical complications [ Time Frame: Up to week 6 ]

Evaluate the impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on post surgical complications (surgical site infections, pancreatic leak, sepsis, delayed gastric emptying) between days 2 - 5 postoperatively, on the day of discharge, and at follow up visits at weeks 1, 3 and 6.

Nutritional status [ Time Frame: Up to week 6 ]

Evaluate the impact of a standard perioperative nutritional plan on nutritional status (PG-Subject Generated Assessment scores, BMI, albumin, pre-albumin, and method of oral intake) at preoperative visit, between days 2 - 5 postoperatively, on the day of discharge, and at follow up visits at weeks 1, 3 and 6

Before Surgery: Consume 1 drink box (8 ounces) three times a day for 5 days (15 servings total) on postoperative day minus 5 through postoperative day 1 in addition to normal diet. After Surgery: Consume 1 drink box (8 ounces) three times a day for 5 days on postoperative day 2 through postoperative day 6.

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01947166